Nexus governance collaboratory

The complexity and interconnectedness of today’s social, economic and environmental challenges call for radical innovation in research, governance and education. In all three arenas, there is a need for new types of knowledge, tools and experience that makes it possible to make sense of and act in a world in rapid transformation. Nexus governance aims to enable strategic navigation and coordination of governance and policy to meet society’s long-term goals.

SpaceLab’s Nexus Governance Collaboratory brings together researchers, practitioners and students in developing and applying methods, processes and tools for governance in complex situations. We do this through field courses, workshops with practitioners and stakeholders, and by engaging students in research projects.

The Collaboratory also drives innovation in higher education, emphasizing participatory learning and problem-oriented approaches that brings education closer to practice.

Current activities within the collaboratory

The objective of the research project is to identify and investigate governance innovations aimed at integrating different modes of transportation in an urbanregional perspective. With partners from public and private sector, we are using the construction of double track rail lines at the East-West rail corridor in Norway as an opportunity to investigate how governance innovations and experimental interventions can facilitate low-carbon mobility. Specifically, we are employing techniques of co-production of knowledge and living labs to engage policy-makers, planners and stakeholders in the research process.

Field courses to Flåm and Manchester

SpaceLab develops cross disciplinary field courses for Bachelor’s students in geography. Students are exposed to real-life problems, experimenting With research methodologies and techniques and testing different kinds of research designs. The field courses are a combination of

Preparatory workshops and exercises where the students develop their own project and explore relevant literature and theoretical and analytical frameworks

Practical field-based research where students apply a wide range of research methods and techniques on different stakeholders, collect and synthesize empirical data.

Academic writing, where the students collaborate writing a field report presenting their findings and analyses, resulting in a field course report presented to the stakeholders.

These cross-disciplinary field courses comprise the backbone of geographical academic development.

Masters course in urban planning and society

SpaceLab gives University of Bergen’s masters course in urban planning and society, which is open to both students and practitioners. A key element of the course is practical workshops where different nexus governance methodologies are explored.